1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an item handling apparatus and method for assembling items onto a pallet in a layer, and, more particularly it relates to an item handling apparatus and method for uninterrupted, continuous, loading and stacking of layers of items onto a pallet in a multi-tiered stack.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various automated palletizers have heretofore been developed for stacking solid material items, such as bags, packages, boxes, bales, rocks, and other like objects on to pallets or other supports. Generally, in the prior and current art, items, for example bags, are conveyed to the palletizer from a moving infeed conveyor. Once at the palletizer they are usually oriented at a loading area to form a single layer of bags in a desired pattern. Once the layer is formed in the desired pattern, it is then usually squared and transferred to stripper or draw plates which are separable for depositing the layer of bags onto a pallet or other support which is located below the strip plates, and which is usually elevated, for example on a pallet elevator. However, the moving infeed conveyor for loading and stacking layers of items at the loading area is interrupted and discontinuous due to the current methods and mechanisms for transferring the items from the infeed conveyor, and for orienting and squaring them. The elevated pallet is then lowered in increments by the pallet elevator as the bags are continuously stacked in layers, often of alternating patterns for stability, until a full pallet load is obtained.
Attempts have been made in the past to improve automated palletizers. But even in those instances, the flow of the items has not been made continuous.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an item handling palletizer apparatus and method for uninterrupted, continuous, loading and stacking of layers of items from an infeed conveyer onto a pallet or other support in a multi-tiered stack.